A tragic incident has occurred at a rehab center in Malibu, leaving 25-year-old Emily Willis, whose real name is Litzy Lara Banuelos, with permanent disabilities. Willis was at the facility seeking help for her ketamine addiction when she suffered a cardiac arrest, which left her in a semi-conscious state. Her family has taken action by filing a lawsuit against the rehab center, alleging negligence and inadequate care .
The suit, filed at the Los Angeles County Superior Court on Dec. 27, 2024, accuses the treatment facility of “abuse of a dependent adult, professional negligence, negligence and fraudulent business practices.”
What Happened at Summit Malibu?
The Mirror claims that legal papers disclose that Emily Willis became unresponsive at Summit Malibu, a luxury rehab facility, on February 4, 2024. Accounts suggest that a nurse practitioner found her there and, while administering CPR, called for help. Paramedics managed to restore her heartbeat after around 30 to 40 minutes of resuscitation, but this was done only after serious brain damage had already been inflicted due to prolonged deprivation of oxygen, leaving her in a comatose state.
There was a brief period when she opened her eyes and was even seen to smile, track objects, and show a degree of emotional awareness to conversations, but doctors believe no improvement past this stage is likely.
Michael Willis, her stepfather, in an earlier statement made in March 2024, described her as being in a state “like a vegetable.” Small improvements have been observed, but the prognosis is really poor.
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Allegations Against Summit Malibu
On December 27, 2024, Willis’ family filed a suit in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, accusing Summit Malibu of:
- Abuse of a dependent adult
- Professional negligence
- General negligence
- Fraudulent business practices
The lawsuit alleges that the facility withheld the requisite and appropriate care during the patient’s stay. According to the family lawyer James A. Morris Jr., should the staff have followed standard medical protocols, clinical care would have experienced a devastating breakdown.
“Had the staff followed standard medical protocols, Emily would have had the opportunity to regain control of her life,” Morris stated to reporters. “No patient should ever be subject to such a horrible breakdown in clinical care. Her health was overlooked until it was too late, and now her life is forever changed.”
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Warnings of a Decline Prior to the Incident
Court documents indicate that Willis’ health was on a rapid decline shortly after entering the rehabilitation center. She reportedly had become:
- Disheveled and frail
- Stupefied, pondering the most basic tasks: walking, eating, showering, and dressing
- Suffering from mild to severe pain, tremors, and spasms, with notable weakness
Morris had stated: “Eventually, she became so dehydrated, the nurse could not get a blood pressure reading.” Even in the face of these grave symptoms, “[the facility] left the decision to get urgent care up to Ms. Willis, who was in no condition at all to be making such decisions,” he alleged.
The exact cause of Willis’ cardiac arrest remains unclear. Drug tests conducted at the time showed no traces of ketamine or other substances in her system, ruling out overdose as a factor. This raises questions about whether her declining health and alleged neglect at the facility contributed to the incident.
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Emily Wills’ Future and Family’s Advocacy
Willis’ family has spoken out about the emotional toll of seeing their loved one in such a vulnerable state. They hope that sharing her story will raise awareness about the importance of proper care in rehab facilities and hold negligent institutions accountable.
“No family should have to endure what we’ve gone through,” Michael Willis said. “We want justice for Emily and to ensure this doesn’t happen to anyone else.”